Bottoming machine



Dec. 31, 1940. H. K. KIMBLE ETAL 2,227,224

BOTTOMING MACHINE Filed Aug. 28, 1937 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 #52444 K/(mazs JOSE/7H CHER ro1 INVENTORS ATTORNEY.

Dec. 31, 1940. H. K. KIMBLE ETAL BOTTOMING MACHINE Filed Aug. 28, 1957 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS HEQMAA K M4452 .5

BY Jose y 67/52 70K 6 9 ATTORNEY.

Dec. 31, 1940.

H. K. KIMBLE EI'AL BOTTOMING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 28, 1937 Z 0 6 w mm W m K K N a g H & 3 Mm W.

JOSEPH Cage 70 M 636695 ATTORNEY.

1940- H. K. KIMBLE :rm. 2,227,224

BOTTOMING MACHINE Filed Aug. 28, 1937 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 H52 MAN K MA /64 E L OSE/F74 CHE/2 70K INVENTORS BY M ATTORNEY.

Dec. 31,1940. H, K. KIMBLE EI'AL ,2 4

BOTTOMING MACHINE Filed Aug. 28, 1937 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 I'IIIIII'I'I'II'A V fife/WAN K M4545 "41 JOSEPH CHE/Q TO/C INVENTORS TTORNEY.

31, 1940- H. K. KIMBLE EI'AL 2,227,224

BOTTOMING MACHINE Filed Aug. 28, 1937 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 23 '22" III 9 /33 8 {M 1 meg I I I04 94 :04

A/EeAM/v Kk/Mmc" JosEPH CHEeToK IN VENTORS BY u 6.4oL/m 7 ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 31, 1940 BOTTOMING MACHINE Herman K. Kimble and Joseph Chertok, Vineland, N. 1., assignors to Kimble Glass Company, Vineland, N. J., a corporation of Illinois Application August 28, 1937, Serial No. 161,516

6 Claims. (01. 49-7) The invention relates to the manufacture of glass containers or vials and more particularly to a machine for bottoming tubular blanks which are substantially ovalin cross section.

One method of fabricating vials from glass tubing comprises heating a tubular blank intermediate its ends, then pulling the cold portions of the blank away from each other to constrict the heated intermediate portion, and finally further heating the portion constricted by the pulling operation with a sharp flam to cut this portion and simultaneously bottom both blanks. In some operations the heated bottom is pressed against a plate to form a flat bottom. It is diflicult, however, when fabricating glass containers from blanks having a cross section other than circular, properly to form a bottom thereon, particularly when the bottom is approximately of prolate, semi-ellipsoidal form, that is, rounded and oval.

It is one of the objects of this invention to provide mechanism for accurately positioning a blank having a heated plastic substantially closed end with respect to a mold, the latter having a cavity so shaped that a prolate semi-ellipsoidal bottom is formed on the container.

Another object of the invention is to convey the blanks past burners to heat the intermediate portion thereof preliminary to the constricting and cutting operation and then to present them to chucks which position the blanks with respect to the molds.

Still another object of the invention is the proviison of means for admitting air under pressure through the chucks into the open ends of the blanks as the closed ends thereof are presented to the molds.

Other objects will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a preferred embodiment of the machine constituting the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a partial top plan view of certain sh fing and gears for operating the machine;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the conveyor and transfer mechanism of the machine in its initial position;

Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are views similar to Fig. 3, the conveyor and transfer being shown in other positions;

Fig. 7 is a partial sectional view of the feed conveyor taken on line |--'l of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a partial sectional View taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 9 is a front elevation, partly in section, of the chucks, mold and transfer taken on line 9-9 of Fig.

Fig. 10 is a side elevation, partly in section, of an intermittent gear arrangement taken on line 5 l0-'-l 0 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 11 is .a front elevation, partly in section, of the mechanism shown in Fig. 9, but taken on line ll--ll of Fig. 6;

Fig. 12'is a front elevation, partly in section, 10 of the mechanism shown in Fig. 9, but taken on line 12-12 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 13 is a partial side elevation of the means for elevating and lowering the mold;

Fig. 14 is a partial sectional view of the dis- 15 charge conveyor taken on line Il-Il of Fig. 6;

Fig. 15 is a view similar to Fig. 14, but taken on line l5l5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 16 is a front elevation ofthe cams and mechanism for operating the chucks;

Fig. 1'7 is a partial front view of the chucks shown in Fig. 16; and

Fig. 18 is a perspective view of a finished bottomed tube shaped on the machine.

In the drawings, the frame of the machine, made up of angle-bars or similar structural elements, is indicated at and is of generally boxlike formation, comprising uprights 26, side members 21 and cross bars 28. At each end of the machine is a conveyor, the forward or feed conveyor being shown at 29 and the rear or discharge conveyor at 3|. Disposed between the conveyors is a transfer device 32 and a plurality of blank gripping chucks 33, 33', there being three chucks on each side of the machine oppositely positioned with respect to each other so that opposite pairs simultaneously grip the ends of the blanks being processed, as will be explained hereinafter.

At the forward end of the frame (Fig. 3) is a feed mechanism comprising a pair of notched discs 34, the notches 35 of which are shaped to accommodate tubular blanks 36, th latter being generally oval in cross-section. These discs engage the blanks in a hopper 31 and carry them to conveyor 29. A spring retarding leaf 39 prevents release of the blanks until such time as the blanks will be deposited on the conveyor at regular spaced intervals. As will be seen in.Figs. 3, '7, and 8, the forward conveyor comprises a pair of chains 4|, 4|, each having four carriages 32 secured thereto. Each carriage is made up of a number of connected blocks or links 43, in the present instance six, secured to chains 4| and bored at 44 to form a journal for shafts 45 to 5 one end of each of which is fastened a blank supporting disc 48. Sprockets 41 are secured to the other ends of shafts 45, these sprockets meshing with smaller chains 48 riding on tracks 48 and driven by sprocket 5|. Chain 4I passes over sprockets 52, 82 on shafts 53, 53', one of which is driven by means to be described hereinafter. It will be seen that, as the carriages are moved along at a relatively slow speed, discs 46 will be rotated by small chains 48 which are moving at a greater speed than chains H. The blanks 36 are thus rotated as they pass over a series of longitudinally aligned pre-heating burners 54 disposed between the conveyor chains. It will also be noted that each blank is supported by four discs, a pair on each side of the burner, and carried past the burners in definite spaced relation to each other. Guide plates 55 insure accurate positioning of the blanks with respect to the burner.

After three blanks have been pre-heated intermediate their ends, they are picked up from the carriage and elevated by the transfer device 32. This transfer comprises an inner pair of racks 58, 56' each having six spaced rectangular notches 51 and a pair of outer racks 58,- 58' half the length of the inner racks and each having three notches 59 similar to notches 51. These notches are spaced a distance equal to that between three links of the carriage 42 and also to that between the axes of atflacent chucks 33, 33. It is to be noted that the width of notches 51, 59 is slightly greater than the major axis of the blank section. Hence, due to gravity, each of the blanks assumes a position in which the major axis is horizontal while the blank is resting on the transfer racks. This insures accurate positioning of the blanks with respect to chucks 33, 33 as will be further explained,

The transfer racks are moved in a generally rectangular path by mechanism illustrated in Figs. 3 to 6 and 8. Pivoted at 62 to a fixed part of the frame is an arm 63. The other end of the arm has a pin and slot connection 64 with a vertically reciprocable slide 65, the latter having a T-shaped portion 66 provided with a slot 61. Cam 88 on shaft 53 cooperates with roller 69 on arm 63 to rock the arm and thus reciprocate slide 65. Each rack isprovided with a depending bar portion I2 slidable in. guide members I3, the latter having vertical slots. 14 therein, and each bar has a pin 15 thereon slidable in slot". Passing through the guides I3 and journaled therein is a shaft I6 having a plurality of cranks 'I'I pinned thereto. Four of these cranks are pivotally connected to one end of each of connecting rods I8, the other ends of the connecting rods being connected to pins I5. A fifth crank I1 is pinned to shaft I8 and connected to pin I5 through connecting rod I8, the latter being slidable in slot I4 in guide I3, as well as in the slot 61 in slide 85. It will, therefore, be seen that when slide 65 is reciprocated, the cranks TI, II will be rocked, at the same time elevating and lowering the racks.

In addition to the vertical reciprocation of the racks, a horizontal reciprocation is imparted thereto'by a pair of bars 19 secured to a slidable base member 8I on which the guides 13 are mounted. A portion of each bar I9 is provided with rack teeth 82 meshing with two pinions 83 keyed to shaft 84. Also keyed to shaft 84 is a second pinion 85, the latter meshing with a vertical rack bar 86. Bars 19 are provided with counter-weights 81 tending normally to draw the bars to the right, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. It is apparent, however, that, when rack bar 88 is elevated by cam 88, the rack bars I8 will be moved to the left to position the racks as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

In Figs. 8, 9, ll, 12, and 13, there is illustrated a mold 89 having prolate semi-ellipsoidal cavities 9I designed to shape the bottoms of the blanks after they have been constricted by burners 92. It will be noted that the major axes of the cavities lie in a horizontal plane. As will be explained hereinafter, opposite chucks, there being three on each side of the machine, grip the ends of the blank and rotate the blank while the latter is subjected to the fllame from burners 92, as shown in Fig. 11. The chucks are then separated to pull out or lengthen the constricted portion of tube, the flame then cutting through the glass to separate the halves of the blank. Due to the rotation of the blanks and the action of the flames, closed bottoms are formed on the tubular blanks. Burners 93, angularly disposed to burners 92, are then lowered to round the bottom of the container and gather or evenly distribute the glass forming the bottom thereof. The bottomed blanks are further separated from each other by continued lateral movement of the chucks. Mold 89 is then elevated from the position shown in Fig. 9 to a position where the cavities 8| are in alignment with the axes of the chucks. At this time the rotation of the chucks is discontinued by means to be explained hereinafter and the chucks moved inwardly toward the mold to bring the closed ends of the blanks into registration with the cavities as illustrated in Fig. 12. The gearing for intermittently rotatingthe chucks is so timed that the long axis of each container lies in a horizontal plane at the beginning and termination of chuck rotation, this axis coinciding with that of the mold cavity for shaping the container bottom. Each chuck is provided with a central bore having a connection 94 with an air supply manifold 95. Suitable air valves indicated at 95' are opened when the blank bottom registers with a mold cavity to admit air under pressure into the open end of the container to force the bottom or end wall thereof against the sides of the cavity and thus accurately shape the bottom. As the air is admitted to the interior of the containers, chucks 33, 33 open and release the containers, but again grip them to draw them away from the mold.

In Figs. 16 and 17 are illustrated the chucks and operating mechanism therefor. A central longitudinal shaft 96 carries four cams 91, 91' and 98, 98' and is driven in timed relation to the conveyor and transfer device. Cams 9?, 91' are similar but are displaced with respect to each other to impart to the chucks on each side of the machine similar but opposite motions. The same is true of cams 98, 98', which open and close the chucks. The three chucks on each side of the machine are mounted on a slidable member 99 mounted on base I8I.' Each chuck comprises a pair of pivoted jaws I82 secured to pins I83 journaled in housing I84. Also fastened to these pins are a pair of arms I85 normally urged radially inwardly by springs I86 but adapted to be forced in the opposite direction against the pressure of the springs by a reciprocable conical cam I81. The jaws are provided with arcuate gripping faces having a relatively large radius so that they grip the blanks in such a way that the major axes of the blanks pass substantially through pins I03 when the latter lie in a horizontal plane. This is the normal stationary position of the chuck Jaws when the blanks are gripped thereby and when the blanks are presented to the molds.

The cams I01 are moved outwardly to release the jaws and inwardly to permit the jaws to close by cams 98, 98, rocker arm I08 fulcrumed on I shaft I09 Journaled in frame 25 and having a lateral extension III and cam follower II2 thereon, slide H3 and bell-crank II4 pivoted at II5 on member 99. Slide 3 has a pin II6 cooperating with slot 1 in arm I08 and bell-crank II4 has pins H8, H9 at the ends of its arms cooperating respectively with slot I2I in slide 3 and collar I22 fixed on cam I01. It will be seen that the position of arm I08 determines the height of slot I2I which, in turn, positions cams I01 to open or close the chuck jaws. It is apparent that, regardless of the height of slot I2I, the chucks may move towards or away from the mold without releasing the chuck Jaws, since the fulcrum of the bell-c ank moves with slide 99. Also fulcrumed on shaft I09 is an arm I23 having a lateral extension I24 and follower I25 thereon, the latter engaging cam 91 or 91, as the case may be. Arm I23 is bifurcated and carries a roller I26 which engages a yoke I21 on slide 99.

The action of cam 91 will be understood upon reference to Fig. 16. The chucks are maintained in their withdrawn position by the portion w-b of the cams, after which opposite chucks follow the portion b-c to move inwardly and engage the ends of a blank.. A slight outward movement of the chucks, corresponding to portion c-d of the cams, takes up any play and centers the blank. During this period the sharp flame 92 melts the blank midway between its ends. The chucks are then moved away from each other by 0 risers d e to sever the blank into two halves, the

93, as indicated by the dot and dash line in Fig.

11. The risers Jg on the cams move the chucks apart sufliciently to permit mold 89 to be elevated to the position shown in Fig. 12, whereupon the chucks momentarily release the blanks to permit 0 them to rest on the racks while compressed air is introduced into the blanks to force the bottoms thereof into the mold cavities. The chucks again engage the blanks and are separated by the portion g-a, during which. movement the blanks are 5 again released and deposited on the racks.

The means for lowering and elevating mold 89 are illustrated in Fig. 13 wherein it will be seen that the mold is supported by a post I28 slidable in vertical bearing I29. Arm I3I is pivoted at I32 to a fixed part of the machine and has a pin and slot connection I33 at one end with post I28. The other end of the arm bears against cam I34 on shaft 53, the rotation of the latter being timed to elevate and lower the mold in synchronism with the lateral movement of the chucks.

When the chucks have cleared the containers, the latter rest on transfer racks 56, 56', 58, 58, as shown in Fig. 4. The transfer racks are then moved towards the rear conveyor 3I by counter-- weights 81, the high portion of cam as having cleared rack 86 as indicated in Fig. 5. The transfer device is then lowered to the position shown in Fig. 6, the containers being deposited on carriages 42', similar to the carriages 42 on the for- Ward conveyor, and having discs 46 thereon driven by chain 48 to impart rotation to the bottomed blanks as they move towards the discharge end of the machine. Whereas only two opposite pairs of discs are required to support the blank on conveyor 29 it will be seen that, the blank having been halved, a supplemental series of discs 46 are provided. These latter discs are smaller in diameter than discs 46, so that the longitudinal axis of the container is tilted. By thus tilting the containers they will rest against guide plate I35 extending longitudinally of the machine midway between the sides thereof. At each side of the machine is housing I31 having side guide plates I36 extending forwardly therefrom and in which are disposed burners I38 for softening the edges of the open ends of the containers to smooth the edges thereof. After the edges have been smoothed, the rear conveyor deposits the finished containers on chute I39 from which they slide into a pan (not shown).

In Figs. 1, 2, and 10' are shown certain of the shafts and gearing for operating the machine. Other shafts and gears are omitted because they are similar to those illustrated and actuate like mechanisms on the opposite side of the machine. Motor I42 drives shaft I43 through belt or chain I44 and suitable reduction gearing in housing I45. Shaft I46 is driven at the same speed as that of shaft I43 through gears I41, I48. Shafts I43 and I46 each have thereon a worm I49 cooperating with worm wheels I5I, secured respectively to shafts I50 and I50. Shafts I50, I50 drive respectively by means of chains or belts I60, shafts 53 and I53, the latter driving sprocket I52, which, with sprocket I52, supports and drives the rear conveyor 3I I50 through bevel gearing I54 and has secured thereto the cams for operating the chucks. As shown in Fig. 10, shaft I50 also has secured thereto a mutilated gear I55 cooperating with a second mutilated gear I56 to drive shaft I51 intermittently. Shaft I51 has keyed thereto gears I58 meshing with gears I59 on shaft I59 which, through link belts I6I and sprockets I62 connected to shaft I59, drive shafts I63. These latter shafts rotate chucks 33, 33' through gearing I64, seen in Figs. 1 and 16. Thus, it will be apparent, the chucks are rotated intermittently and in timed relation to the rotation of shaft 53'.

Shaft 96 is also connected to shaft I65 by belt or chain I66. Shaft I65 carries a plurality of cams I61 designed to open and close v-alves controlling the air and gas supply to burners 92, 93, and valve which admits air to manifolds 95. Shaft I65 drives shaft I68 by means of chain I69, shaft I68 and bevel gears I" in turn driving shafts 5|, 5|, which drive small chains 48, 48'. Cam I12 on shaft I68 operates mechanism for elevating and lowering burners 92, 93 in timed relation to the chuck drive.

Upon termination of rotation of the chucks, it is advisable to brake shaft I59, and, for this purpose, a brake I13 (shown in Fig. 1) is brought into engagement with the shaft by cam I 14 on shaft 96. This insures accurate positioning of the blanks with mold cavities 9I.

From the foregoing description the operation and purposes of the apparatus will be apparent. It will be seen that the blanks are deposited on conveyor 29 in spaced relation so that they rest on pairs of rotating discs which turn them about their longitudinal axes during the preliminary heating stage. This pre-heating prevents fracture of the blanks when they reach the cutting and shaping bu ners. From the forward conveyor the blanks Shaft 96 is driven from shaft are deposited three at a time on the transfer racks which position them with their major axes horizontal and in alignment with the chucks. As soon as the chucks have gripped the blanks they arerotated and are heated by, the cutting and shaping burners. The chucks then separate the blanks, now in two par-ts, and the mold is elevated until the cavities thereof are at the same height as the chuck centers. The chucks then move the blanks, the closed bottoms of which are still hot and plastic, into engaging relation withthe molds at which time the chucks momentarily release the blanks while air is admitted into the open end thereof to force the bottoms into the cavities and thus properly shape the bottoms. Following the molding operation the chucks withdraw the blanks from the mold, the transfer racks rise to receive the blanks, and the chucks release them, moving further away from the center of the machine to permit the blanks to rest on the racks. The transfer device then moves the bottomed blanks to the rear conveyor at the same time bringing three other blanks from the forward conveyor into alignment with the chucks.

It is to be noted that the conveyors and transfer device are driven continuously and the chucks intermittently but in such timed relation that the blanks are automatically transported through the machine and that three blanks are molded simultaneously. The cutting and shaping flames are also lifted and lowered in timed relation to the chucks as are the valves controlling admission of air to the open ends of the blanks and air and gas to the burners. Thus the blanks are fed, shaped and discharged in timed sequence. The positioning of the oval tubular blanks is effected with extreme accuracy so that the containers are properly shaped, yet with relatively great rapidity and with a minimum of manual operation. Except that the attendant must keep the hopper filled with blanks and remove the finished containers from the pan at the discharge end, there is little necessity for manual adjustment of the parts once the ma-' chine begins operation.

While the number of blanks molded simultaneously has been stated as six, it is obvious that, with'slight changes, more or fewer blanks may be shaped at the same time. The particular forms of conveyors, transfer mechanism and chucks are those which have been embodied in an operating machine, but it is not intended that they be indicative of the mints of the mvention. Such changes as will improve the operatlon of the machine are contemplated in the broader concept of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine for bottoming a tubular glass blank, a chuck for engaging the blank at one end thereof, means for melting the other end of said blank, a mold having a bottoming cavity in the face thereof, means for rotating said chuck while the said other end is being melted, means for introducing fluid under pressure into said blank, valve means adapted to be opened to supply fluid under pressure to said introducing means, means for moving said chuck and blank towards said mold to effect registration of said molten end while hot with said cavity, and means for thereafter simultaneously opening said chuck to release the blank and for opening said valve to supply fluid under pressure to said introducing means and into said blank to force said molten end into said cavity.

2. In a machine for bottoming a tubular glass blank, a chuck for engaging the blank at one end thereof, means for melting the other end of said blank, a mold having a bottoming cavity in the face thereof, means for rotating the chuck while the said end is being melted, means for arresting rotation of the chuck, means for moving said chuck and blank while so arrested towards said mold to effect registration of said molten end while hot with said cavity, means for introducing air under pressure through said chuck into said blank, valve means adapted to be opened to supply fluid under pressure to said introducing means, and means for thereafter simultaneously opening said chuck to release the blank and for opening said valve means to supply fluid under pressure to said introducing means and into said blank to force said molten end into said cavity.

3. In a machine for simultaneously bottoming a plurality of tubular glass blanks, a plurality of oppositely disposed chucks, a pair for each blank, said chucks engaging said blanks, means for melting said blanks intermediate their ends, a mold having a plurality of bottom forming cavities in opposite faces thereof, means for rotating said chucks while said blanks are being melted, means for simultaneously moving said chucks to separate said plurality of blanks into halves, means. for moving said mold to effect registration of said cavities with said melted portions, means for arresting rotation of said chucks when said cavities register with said molten ends, means for introducing air under pressure through said chucks into said blanks, valve means adapted to be opened to supply fluid under pressure to said introducing means, and means for thereafter simultaneously opening said chucks to release the blanks held thereby and for opening said valve means to supply fluid under pressure to said introducing means and into said blanks to force. said molten ends into said cavities. I

4. In a machine for simultaneously bottoming a plurality of tubular blanks, a mold having a plurality of bottom forming cavities on a face thereof, means for simultaneously melting said blanks at one end thereof, means for engaging the other ends of said blanks to move the molten ends of the blanks into registration with said cavities, means for forcing said molten ends while hot into said cavities, a conveyor disposed forwardly of said mold, a second conveyor disposed rearwardly of said mold, and means for simul taneously transferring a plurality of blanks from said forward conveyor and another plurality of bottomed blanks from said mold, said transferring means being operable to deliver the blanks from the forward conveyor to said engaging means and simultaneously to deliver said bottomed blanks to said rear conveyor.

5. In a machine for simultaneously bottoming a plurality of tubular blanks, a mold having a plurality of bottom forming cavities on a face thereof, means for simultaneously melting said blanks at one end thereof, means for engaging the other ends of said blanks to move the molten ends of the blanks into registration with said cavities, means for forcing said molten ends while hot into said cavities, a conveyor disposed forwardly of said mold, a second conveyor disposed rearwardly ofsaid mold, and a rack movable vertically to transfer a plurality of blanks from said forward conveyor and another plurality of bottomed blanks from said mold, said rack being thereafter movable horizontally to transfer blanks from the forward conveyor to said engaging means and. the bottomed blanks to the rear conveyor.

6. In a machine for simultaneously bottoming a plurality of tubular blanks, a mold having a plurality of bottom forming cavities on a face thereof for simultaneously shaping the bottoms of said blanks, a conveyor movable towards said 10 mold, a second conveyor movable away from said mold, and a transfer means movable in one direction to remove blanks from the forward conveyor and shaped blanks from the mold, said transfer means being thereafter movable in another direction to position the blanks removed from said forward conveyor in registration with said cavities and to deliver the shaped blanks to said rear conveyor.

HERMAN K. KIMBLE.

JOSEPH CHERTOK. 

